PART II 2005 Trip to MEXICO

Fish that people in our RV park caught, these are El Dorado and one Wahoo. This park is really set up for fishing with a winch, cleaning table, bell to alert people to help launch and bring boats in, marine radio's, scale and place to hang fish for pictures. There are at least 10 boats in here. They go out as far as 50 miles sometimes and the boats are not that big. They watch the weather and so far over the years no one has not made it back.

Beach right in front of our RV park

A very old church in the historical center of Guadalajara

The square of statues of prominent people of Guadalajara since it's begining.

The historical theater in the central area of Guadalajara.

One of many murals, this one in the central government building. There is a tourist information booth here and the lady there is from Los Angeles but has been in Mexico for 31 years and at 2:30 pm does a walking tour which is about 2 hours long and is excellent and very reasonably priced.

A view of the courtyard of the central government building.

Church in Guadalajara.

The market at Tonala a part of Guadalajara, the market is open on Thursday and Sunday but there is plenty available any day of the week. You can just take a taxi to it and back. We were on a chartered bus tour so we could put the things we purchased into the bus. There is definitely some good deals here and we would recommend a visit if you are in Guadalajara.

The fruit of the tequela plant from which they make tequela. We had a tour of the factory at Tequela, Mexico west of Guadalajara.

We took a 1600 mile trip with the F-350 and left the 5th wheel at the RV park. This is a beach south of Puerta Vallarta called Chamela at KM 64. There is only boondock parking here.

This beach is farther south at Tenacatita playa. There is no RV park here.

This beach is at Boca de Iguanas, there are two RV parks here.

Crocodiles at La Manzanalla, there is a good beach here and and RV Park but I think not much for hookups.

This is the beach at Barra De Navidad. This is a more of a tourist town than Melaque. Many people fly in to Manzanillo and take the bus or taxi and stay at these towns.

This is a view from Melaque, this is a better beach than Barra De Navidad for swimming as the waves are not as high and it is less crowed. You can get very reasonably priced bungalows here. There are two RV parks but they get very full. Lots of Canadians here as every where in Mexico; especially BC. We met a great couple from BC here and had great visits with them at our bungalow. I believe the best way to get here with a RV would be to go to Guadalajara, use the by pass roads and come down the Cuota through Colima and then backtrack a bit north up the coast on Hwy 200. We took the Cuota and it is a good road!

This is a beach at Manzanillo and the hotel section in the background.

This is the coast line south of Manzanillo, it is a deserted area along Highway 200, little traffic, no fuel and a windy road, sometimes hanging on the cliff but very scenic, much like the Oregon coast.

This is even farther south, still few people, note the coconut trees.

This is the tourist hotels for Ixtapa, we have now been to all the fly in spots in Mexico BUt by land rather than air.

This is the beach at Ixtapa late in the day.

This is the beach early in the morning at Zihuatanejo the Mexican town near Ixtapa. This is a good fly in distination, much more reasonable priced. It is probably the nicest Mexican town near a fly in resort area.

This is the harbor and town of Zihautaneho in the background. It is around the bay and then up on the hill side. The beach to the east is quieter than the downtown one.

This is the downtown beach at Zihautanejo

This is Ixtapa from a distance.

This is the island where the famous celebration for the dead take place in early November. It is in Lake Patzcuaro not to far from Morelia. The statue on the top of the island is of Father Morelia who was a part of the Mexican revoluton.

This town has many, many stores that make and sell copper, it is Santa Clara and is south of Patzcuaro. Things are reasonable and a nice town to visit. There is a great crafts town on the east side of the lake about mid-way up that is well worth the trip.

These are monarch butterflies closely packed together for warmth at the Chincua Reserve east of Morelia in a remote area at very high elevation.

More monarch butterflies. We did this as a day trip from Patzcuaro. Use the Mexico City toll road, it saves a lot of time.

More monarch butterflies.

More monarch butterflies.

When the sun comes out some of the monarch butterflies leave their resting position and start to fly. The guides said when it really warms up this picture is nothing compared to what it is like then. One should go after dinner when it has warmed up and hope for a sunny day. The months of February and March are the best.

A close up of a monarch butterfly.

Edith riding the horse on the trail to the monarch butterflies.

Sign for the monarch butterfly preserve.

Final parking lot for this preserve, from here you walk or rent horses.

RV campgound in Patzcuaro, it was nice and cool, 44 degress F. at night, so the tent was fine, there were mosquitoes in the evening but not in the morning or during the day. We met a lot of nice people here and exchanged a lot of good information. Our friends from Oregon gave us extremely valuable information on visiting the butterfly sanctuary.

Fisherman near the island at Lake Patzcuaro.

Walkway with shops along it up to the statue on the island.

Plaze on top by statue.

View from top of statue.

Zocolo in Patzcuaro. very Spanish.

A few of the arches around the zocolo.

One of several nice churches in Patzcuaro, there are lots of shops and things to do here.

Fisherman near the island at Lake Patzcuaro. We rank it up with San Miguel De Allende or Guanajuato

Banana trees covered to protect them from insect damage, these are all along the west coast from San Blas on south.

Our friends from Guadalajara who camped next to us. We helped them out with several things they had forgotten for there 3 day camp out with two tents. There were 8 of them. He was an instructor in automatic transmission at a technical school

Our friend Phil's set up for hauling his boat and car on this trailer behind the Class A. He and Sue got us a place in the RV park here.

Every Wednesday there is a 11 miles hike over the mountains and along the beaches from here to LO De Marcos. Here is a view from one of the mountain ridges.

Here is a view of one of the beaches we come down off the mountain and hike along it before climbing another mountain.

Here I am at the end of the hike after 3 hours and 50 minutes of straight hiking no rest. I was feeling good but was really warm. It is a very tough hike, people in good condition often have to drop out

A view of Rincon De Guayabitos from the cross up on the hill to the southeast.

A link to to Part IIIof our trip